The future of the Orillia YMCA building remains up in the air, but officials envision it becoming a youth-focused facility.
Since announcing the permanent closure of the YMCA on Peter Street in early August, Rob Armstrong, CEO of the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka, has fielded inquiries from those interested in the future of the facility. One person expressed interest in setting up a business there, but “that would be a last resort for us,” Armstrong said.
In Barrie, the YMCA is looking to secure funding for youth transitional services in partnership with Youth Haven. However, there is no emergency shelter for youth in Orillia.
“Something like that locally would be of interest to us,” Armstrong said.
If that comes to fruition, the YMCA could incorporate some of its existing youth-related services, including leadership and employment programs, he said.
Nothing is set in stone, he stressed, noting he is meeting this week with groups involved in youth-related social services.
The hope is to have a “vision” for the building by the end of the year. Then, officials could start working out details of how to make it a reality.
Scott Lindsey has been a member of the Orillia YMCA since 1985. He said he suggested a committee be formed to look at ways to “keep the building going and functioning in some manner — not necessarily as a Y, but as some sort of fitness centre that would cater to seniors or anyone else who is interested.”
Lindsey said he was “surprised” when he learned the local YMCA was closing.
He understood the COVID-19 pandemic was taking a toll and that the upcoming opening of the Orillia Recreation Centre would make for a “tough go” for the YMCA, but he had hoped the organization would have reached out to the membership before making the decision to close.
“I was surprised that they never really canvassed the memberships about what was coming next. We were kind of left to wonder,” he said. “I’ve talked to a number of members of my vintage and they’re just totally amazed that nobody’s been approached. We have business experience and we have money.”
Armstrong said members were surveyed, prior to the decision being made by the board to close, to see how many people would be interested in returning to the facility during the pandemic. The number of members willing to step back inside at the time was “not particularly robust,” he said.
Given that result, it didn’t make financial sense to reopen, Armstrong said, adding the YMCA lost about 50 per cent of its operating budget over the past five months.
“That’s about $25 million we’re not going to see again, so we have to be careful,” he said.
In response to Lindsey’s suggestion to offer programming for seniors at the facility, Armstrong said that option is not being considered “at the moment."
He has been in contact with the County of Simcoe and understands the regional services hub that will be built across the street on the former Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute property will include space for seniors. Add the rec centre to the list and “the community’s not big enough” to have that many facilities operating similarly to the YMCA, he said.
